My name is Talib Sadiq, and education has helped me to turn my life around and put me in a position to give back to my community. Something that more people who have been incarcerated, like myself, should be able to say.
As the sheriff of Hampshire County, Ms. Yvonne Gittelson plans to allow inmates access to classes and vocational training while they’re incarcerated, so when they’re done “paying their debt to society” they’ll have some real tools they can use to rebuild their lives.
Those of us who have made a mistake and ended up in the custody of the Department of Corrections need someone like Ms. Gittelson to create opportunities for people to better themselves while they’re incarcerated. Currently there are very few rehabilitative structures in place for inmates. If people have to return to the same place they were before they got locked up with nothing but another mark on their record, the chances of them ending up back in custody are much higher.
As a former teacher in public schools and the corrections program specialist at the Department of Education, Ms. Gittelson’s work experience makes her the ideal candidate to create educational programs to lower recidivism, and to partner with schools in our community to break the school-to-prison pipeline. Having more educated people in our community is something we all benefit from.
As the next sheriff of Hampshire County, Ms. Gittelson will use her experience, passion and energy to work hard to make these much needed changes happen.
Talib Sadiq
Shutesbury